Just posting to show I'm alive and still trying to get things done. I'm slow, but even slower since I had hand surgery. Tough to build cars with one hand! Anyway, with the help of Ron and Kenny, on the weekends, finally about halfway there, assembling the 61 Olds that started with Kustom7777 stripping, priming, and beginning bodywork, then me finishing bodywork, and doing a bunch of custom stuff, then 3 years in upholstery "jail". and back for paint and assembly. Quick rundown on the body work: nosed, decked, shaved doors. Custom made square tube grill, Lucas headlights. Same square tubing used to decorate the rear tail , and bumper pan. Filled back-up lights, exhaust through the pan, as well as a sunken license plate. Tunneled antenna, hand made Lucas style tail lights. Candy Pagan Gold paint, with slightly darker version inside the body cove, and on the roof. Anthony White pinstriping on inside things, outside to come. Will run real Buick Skylark wire wheels, and wide whites. Other mods: Hand made air filter housing ( matching quarter panel shape, and with square rod "grill". Converted to alternator, and modern PS pump, Vintage air conditioning. Smoothed firewall, other misc. custom made parts. Interior: T-Bird buckets, hand made console with lace paintwork, and electric opener to hide radio/GPS. Power window conversion, White R & P, with gold carpeting. All interior window trim painted with "Coat of Chrome". We had a nice day Saturday , so out it went for a washing, and installing more trim. I'll post more pics if there is interest, as we move on to complete it.
Very nice treatment and great color. The hood bulges look familiar. There's not a bad 61 GM body, but the Olds may be the best to go down the custom road with. Hope the hand heals fast. Need a pic of the front, more in general, please.
Are you kidding? That is a beauty, Love the color choice, Thats has the potential to be a front cover car rite there
I just showed your pictures to a previous owner. He reminded me that it was a 9,000 original mile car. Somewhere I have pictures of what it looked like years ago, but they must be on film because I could not find them in digital.
Space age styling with a knockout color. Beautiful car. Hope you have a complete and speedy hand recovery. It could be said you are capable of building a car with "one hand tied behind your back"!
Mark, the air cleaner was built completely from scratch, I might have even done a how-to when I did it several years ago, here on the HAMB. Belair, I made the scoops from scratch, as well. Made hammerforms, bolted them to the hood, and hammered out the lip going up, then capped it off with sheet metal I formed with a brake, and a bit of work on an English wheel. I still have to put the square rod "grill" in the scoops, will put up pics then. The interior and front end we're still working on. I had the interior out to do the paint work, and buffing. I'll post when they're done. Thanks to all for the compliments! Helps keep the spirits up! 40LUV..is that "Jack" you're talking about? I think Tom bought it from him?
Who doesn't love a space ship Olds! I hope you stay close to the original grill styling. It was really good looking IMHO.
@chopolds I found some of your how-to threads. I thought it was appropriate to post them here since people were asking about some of the details.... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/how-to-build-a-custom-air-cleaner.739784/ https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/custom-tail-light-how-to.763938/
Seeing your almost-done Olds is a nice way to start the day. Beautiful. Old chopolds customized an old old Olds chopolds painted his in shades of golds When they built the '61 they broke all the molds A beautiful shimmering custom old gold Olds
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